That's My Sister ➼ tas

Chapter 25

I walked into form and was met with equal cheering hello's and side glances from my group and the people I didn't know. The boys sat behind Poppy and the girls, their laughs bellowing as they recalled the wild night, whilst those less unfortunate who weren't invited either attempted to listen in without seeming eager, or straight up act like they didn't care just because they couldn't be included. Obviously they all heard about the party from the weekend - who didn't gossip about the teens in their year group getting invited to the older guys' parties?

"There she is!" Nick clapped his hands and pointed at me. "Thought you were bunking off the morning with Aiden today!"

The teacher raised his eyebrows at Nick, who coughed and mumbled, "he's got an appointment, I mean."

"No, why would I miss the first day back at school after a sick weekend?" I said, setting my bag down and sitting in my seat reserved next to Poppy. Truthfully, Aiden never mentioned not coming in for the morning. We hadn't spoken too much after Sunday morning, when I woke up to a text from him telling me to ignore what the guys might have to say today. I guess this is what he meant.

"Well, I guess you guys don't mind not seeing each other for a few hours, considering how much you were all over each other on Saturday night!" Layla chirped in.

"So, did you do it?" Kimberley asked expectantly, raising an eyebrow. "Y'know, when you disappeared upstairs?"

I felt my cheeks heat up, and it was obvious there was no way I was hiding it. I mean, I know Aiden and I kissed...and it was really nice. Would I consider it my first kiss? I mean, technically I had my first kiss at 12 on the beach back on vacation to the Keys, with a boy who wanted to know what it felt like as much as I did. I was never going to see him again so I felt so grown up and mature, but it wasn't the most exciting thing. But the fact people think I went...further with him on the same night?

"Oh no, I- we didn't, no..." I trailed off as I watched too many pairs of eager eyes await my reply.

"A girl never kisses and tells, you guys got that?" Poppy chimed him, eyeing the boys before waving her hands at them in a dismissive motion. I relaxed a little as I turned in my seat to face the teacher.

"Don't worry, your girls won't out your secret," Poppy said with such nonchalance you would wonder how familiar this is for her.

"Oh, but we really didn't-" I began again, before being cut off by the teacher's judgmental stare.

-----

The moment I sat down for lunch, Aiden's arm was tight around my waist whilst the girls sat saying "awh" in unison. I felt my side stiffen as I knew my old friends could see me out my peripherals, but I brushed it off. This is their loss for not accepting my invitation to continue being friends, so why should I care if they saw me happy? I relaxed again into Aiden.

"How's your first classes been this morning, babe?" Aiden asked, swigging his water bottle.

"Never not boring," I giggled, reaping in the feeling on him referring to me as babe. Were we becoming an item? I mean, we hadn't been on any dates and we only kissed once at the party, but it felt like it was incoming.

"Bet you wish you were back to Saturday night, huh?" Josh teased, his mouth full of sandwich. Honestly, when was this boy not talking with his mouth full?

"Mate, shutup," Aiden cut in before I could reply, giving my waist a little squeeze. I took that as reassurance that he had my back for the comments I'd be getting about kissing him. I mean, it was a few kisses, and I can tell that's not something new for this group, so why was the fact it was me being passed off as a bigger deal?

We continued to non-stop talk about Saturday night for the rest of the lunchbreak, from Layla's dare to shot 10 vodkas in 30 seconds or give Nick a kiss (shocker: she lost, but she totally did it on purpose), to the random nobody's that attempted to gatecrash but just ended up throwing up and passing out on the lawn.

"Oh wait," I stopped the girls from walking away with the others at the end of the hour. "I almost forgot! I'm heading to London to see Taylor this weekend, who wants to come with? She's already got the top floor of the hotel reserved, I'm sure there are spare beds. Who's in?"

The girls squealed with excitement, nodding ecstatically. "How could we pass such an invitation up?" Poppy smiled down at me. "This is going to be so much fun!"

"Do I get to come with?" Aiden leant down and asked as the girls skipped off, his eyes staring directly into mine.

"Of course, how could I leave you behind?"

-----

I walked through the front door, to see Austin already home and sitting on the sofa with mom. As I set my bag down they both turn their focus to me and stop talking.

"What's up?" I question, carrying on through the sitting room and into the kitchen. I grabbed a glass of water and turned back to the doorway.

"Were you at a party on Saturday night?" Mom asked, her face showing no expression.

"I was with Poppy, there was a small gathering we showed our faces at but nothing big, why?" I eyed Austin suspiciously. He outed me, didn't he?

"It seems all people could talk about at your school today was your drunk demeanour at yet another party, you going off with this boy, you shouting at everyone not doing what you wanted, and so on," mom continued with a sigh.

"What? It wasn't even like that, how embarrassing that some jealous person said that. What, you're mad at me for living a normal teenage life?" I scoffed.

"You don't exactly have a normal teenage life right now though, do you?" Austin added in.

"I mean, I'm a teenager, hanging out with her friends on weekends, talking about it at school. So yeah, I do think I'm living a normal life, thank you."

"You decisions have repercussions on this family," mom turned to me now. "Even if it's not from talk of close friends around us, it's from the wider public who are coming to know who you are more and more everyday."

"What's the big deal? Yeah, wow, I have a famous sister? It's not stopped me from going to school so why should I give up my friends and experiences just incase someone wants to talk about it?"

"Because they're not your friends!" Austin groaned. "Why can't you see how obvious this all is?"

"Awh, you feeling left out because people only started patting you on the back in the hallways when they found out who your other sister was?" I exaggerated a pout in his direction.

"Caitlyn!" Mom exclaimed. "What has gotten into you?"

I rolled my eyes and walked out, ignoring mom's protest to come back. I had a weekend to plan for - outfits to check, socials to update. A few moments later I heard heavy footsteps on the landing, and Austin was at my door.

"I'm not talking about this with you anymore, but you really need a reality check, because this isn't you." Before I could fight back, his back was turned and his door slammed. I let out a heavy sigh, frustrated that everyone was feeling entitled to comment on my life. I was happy, I had friends and a boy who cared about me and that was all that mattered. I didn't ask to be associated with Taylor, so why should I change who I am because of it?